ENFIELD, CT – Brightwood Hardware will continue it’s more than 50-year tradition after partnering with Carr Hardware. A new 11,000-square-foot Carr Hardware store opened its doors Aug. 31 and includes Brightwood staff and management.

Brightwood Hardware, formerly located at 794 Williams St. in Longmeadow, was asked to move from its previous location due to an expansion project for the neighboring Big Y.

Ken Cohn, the former owner of Brightwood Hardware and current partner at Carr Hardware, stated he is excited to bring a “complete hardware store” to Enfield and the surrounding communities.

“We were able to keep our staff primarily intact and supplement them with some exceptional talent from our partners at Carr Hardware,” he added.

Barton Raser, vice president of Carr Hardware, told Reminder Publications Brightwood Hardware has a great reputation as a small family owned business, which was part of the reason the partnership was proposed.

“Our cultures aligned so much in terms of multi-generational, independently owned, [and] longstanding members of our communities,” he added.  

According to Carr Hardware, the company operates four locations in Berkshire County and one in Avon, CT. The business was founded by Sam Carr in 1928 and later purchased by the Raser family in 1962. Carr Hardware employs 100 employees across its various locations.

When asked whether he believes Longmeadow residents would become regular customers at the new store, Raser said, “We believe that will happen … The feedback from the Longmeadow folks that have come over so far has been very positive. They love the store. We significantly more than doubled the offering.”

Raser said the new Enfield location features a wider selection of products and services, including filling propane tanks and free delivery. The new store will also focus on contractors, institutional, and government customers as a niche.

“We are excited for the opportunity to join forces with a well known, community focused hardware store,” he added. “Leveraging our strengths and expanding the business will bring more offerings, a bright, pleasant and well organized shopping experience, and significantly more aggressive pricing.”

The store’s weekend grand opening celebration is set to take place Oct. 15.

“We’re going to partner up with a local food bank and raise some money for them in addition to really kicking off the store,” Raser noted. “We’re going to have a demo event, giveaways, and raffle prizes. It’ll be great.”